Apparatus for folding sheets



y 5, 1970 R. B. ROBINSON 3,510,031

APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEETS Filed Feb. 18, 1969 1 2; Z/ r If /0 T I /i Z/ /z Z7 4 /9 I I I' l I I I 1 I I i l Z2 I l l i I l 7 I I I I l I I) I I I I i 5% I I 9 9 f3 @1 J? L M I //v VENTOAZ EQBJSET 5 EOE/N50 United States Patent 3,510,031 APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEETS Robert Burch Robinson, Box 183, Newnan, Ga. 30263 Filed Feb. 18, 1969, Ser. No. 800,088 Int. Cl. A41h 33/00 US. Cl. 22337 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for folding bedsheets, bedspreads or other laundry fiat work, the device comprising a frame of upstanding character, the frame having a pair of clamps at its upper end to which the corners at one end of a bedsheet are attached while the lower end of the sheet is stretched downwardly, each of the clamps being operated into clamping position by a foot pedal, and the device including a bin having a folding edge used as a guide during folding operation.

This invention relates generally to appliances for folding bed linens and laundry flat work.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a stretcher clamp and sheet folder which will eliminate the necessity of requiring two persons for folding bedsheets and bedspreads after laundering and wherein the operation may be accomplished by one person alone.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stretcher clamp and sheet folder which may be made in any size so as to accommodate different size sheets or bedspreads, or which may be made any size so as to accommodate large flat work such as table clothes, beach towels and the like.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a stretcher clamp and sheet folder which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efiicient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a stretcher clamp and sheet folder, according to the present invention, wherein there is a frame 11 comprised of a pair of upstanding posts 12- in spaced apart relation, a lower portion of the posts being enjoined by a transverse brace 13 so to provide a rigid structure.

A bin 14 is mounted upon the front side of the brace 13, the bin including a front wall 15, rear wall 16, bottom wall 17, and opposite end walls 18, the upper end of the bin having an opening around a peripheral edge 19' so to provide access to a central compartment 20. The upper edge 19 along the front wall comprises a fold ing edge as will be noted in a subsequent description of the operation.

A clamp 21 is mounted upon the upper end of each post 12, each clamp 21 including a lever 22 made preferably of wood, the lever 22 being pivotable about a hinge 23 secured to a longitudinal intermediate portion of the lever 22 and upon a front side of the post 12. The lever 22 is thus intermediately pivotable. One end of the lever is provided with a compression spring 24 which at one end bears against the upper end of the lever and at its opposite end bears against an upstanding wall 25 against which the device is positioned. The opposite end or the lower end of each lever is provided with a felt or rubber pad 26 which is in alignment with a felt or rubber pad 27 mounted upon the front side of each post '12. A space 28 between the pads serves to receive a corner of a bedsheet or the like therebetween, the pads 26 and 27 accordingly comprising jaws between which the bedsheet is grasped.

A bracket 29 is mounted to a rear side of the lever 22 at the same elevation of the hinge 23, a rear end of the bracket 29 being secured to one end of a chain 30, the chain extending downwardly therefrom and the lower end of the chain being attached to a foot pedal 31. The foot pedal 31 is pivotable at one end thereabout a pin or bolt 32 attached to a lower end of each post 12, the opposite end of the pedal being provided with a foot rest 33 upon which an operator may place a foot during operation of the device. A tension coil spring 34 is attached at one end to the foot pedal, the opposite end of the tension coil spring 34 being attached to the bottom Wall 17 of the bin 14, the spring 34 accordingly normally pulling the foot pedal into an upward direction. It will now be apparent that when the device is at rest, the foot pedal will be pivoted upwardly by the tension coil spring 34 and the clamp lever 22 will be pivoted about the hinge 23 so that the jaws 26 and 27 are closed against each other due to the action of the compression coil spring 24.

In operative use, it shall be assumed that the present device is used for stretching and folding no-iron bedsheets made of 50 percent polyester and 50 percent combed cotton, the bedsheets each being of 81 inches by 104 inches. The operator first brings together the two ends of the 81 inch width of the sheet, thus forming a double thickness thereof measuring 40% inches across. The corners of these double folded portions are then placed under each of the clamps by simply depressing the foot pedal and causing the padded jaws 26 and 27 to part, so to allow introduction of the sheet material therebetween. The operator then releases his foot from the foot pedal, the sheet thus being held within the clamps. The double folded sheet is then pulled tight toward the 104 inch length extending downwardly. The free end of the sheet is then brought upwardly and even with the clamped ends thereof. It will now be apparent that the sheet is positioned in front of the folding edge 19 of the front wall 15 of the bin. Then the body of the operator presses lightly against the folding edge 19 and at the same time presses the foot pedal downwardly, thus causing the jaws to release their grasp of the supported ends of the bedsheet and allowing the two ends to drop 27 inches into the bin. This leaves two 27 inch folds hanging forwardly over the folding edge outside of the bin. The operator now easily lifts the 2.7 inch by 40 /2 inch folds and completes further folding in a convenient manner upon a table. Thus a means is provided for folding a large and otherwise awkward item of laundry flatwear. This appliance would be readily applicable for use by motels, hotels, and other enterprises wherein there are a large number of beds that must be attended daily.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for folding sheets or the like comprising a pair of upstanding spaced apart post members, clamping members attached to the upper front portions of each upstanding post member, a pedal member positioned at the front base portions of said post members, spring means normally holding said pedal member in a raised position and said clamping members closed, a pair of chain members connected between said pedal member and each of said clamps in such a manner that depressing said pedal member causes the clamping members to open, and a horizontal folding rail spaced from and extending laterally across in front of the said pair of upstanding spaced apart post members at a position intermediate the ends of said post members.

2. The invention of claim 1 and wherein said horizontal folding rail comprises a bin positioned in front 5 of said pair of upstanding spaced apart post members said bin including an upper peripheral edge extending outwardly from said post members.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1936 Boriski 223-37 2/1966 Sipe 22337 

